Nowadays consumers are becoming more and more health conscious, and are ever mindful of what they eat and their overall carbohydrate intake. Many people try to avoid high consumption of refined sugar, thus creating a huge demand for an alternative—a natural sweetener. The growth of the sweetener market has redefined what traditionally constitutes a sweetener, encouraged innovative usages of such sweetener in functional products, and developed customized sweetener for focused use and optimal benefits.
Sugar (sucrose) is a carbohydrate that consists of two simple sugars, fructose and sucrose. Sucrose, or disaccharide, derives from sugar cane/beet root, whereas fructose, a monosaccharide, is found in fruit, vegetable and honey. High fructose corn syrup is very popular at present because of the premium profile of sweetness that fructose offers. However, high fructose corn syrup contains an almost equal combination of fructose and glucose that might contribute to the growing epidemic of obesity.
Alternative sweetener such as SACCHARIN, which is derived from a constituent of grapes and petroleum, has a low production cost and a highly intensified sweetness level. However it was banned by FDA because a Canadian study confirmed that the widely used artificial sweetener causes cancer in test animals.
Acesulfame potassium is made from acetoacetic acid and potassium, and it blends well with other sweetener. SUCRALOSE is marketed by the brand name of SPLENDA, and it is a chlorocarbon chemical that contains three atoms of chlorine in every molecule. Another sweetener such as ASPARTAME is made from amino acids and phenylalanine.
Stevia is a natural sweetener that comes from a plant in the daisy family called Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia is sold as a dietary supplement only because the FDA contends that there is not enough data to regard Stevia as safe for food consumption.
Recently Agave, a succulent plant that belongs to the Agavaceae family, emerges in the natural sweetener market in the form of agave syrup or agave nectar. Agave syrup composes of 90 percent fructose and 10 percent glucose.
Luo Han Guo (Siraitia grosvenori or Momordica grosvenori) is the fruit of the plant Siraitia grosvenorii in the Curcubitaceae family. The fruit is well known for its sweetness. The sweet taste of Luo Han Guo comes from a group of terpene glycosides called mogrosides. Mogroside is different from carbohydrates and does not have the disadvantages of carbohydrates. The mogrosides have been numbered I to V with the main component being mogroside-V. The mixed mogrosides are estimated to be about 300 times as sweet as sugar by weight.
Luo Han Guo fruits are grown in the mountain areas of southern China where the warmth of southern China along with shades provided by the mountains created a perfect environment for Luo Han Guo growth. Most of these areas in southern China are also recognized as having a higher life expectancy. Some studies attributed this to the consumption of Luo Han Guo, while others claim the longevity is the result of the local's tranquil lifestyle, simple diet and regular exercise. Regardless of the explanations, the locals at southern China had recognized the benefits of Luo Han Guo hundreds of years ago. They had been using it as a medicinal herb that treats coughing and sore throat, promotes respiratory health, enhances immune function, maintains vitality as well as detoxifies.
The Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Jiangsu New Medical College, 1977) recommends using dried Luo Han Guo fruits as a remedy for respiratory complaints such as dry coughs, and it can be used as a laxative as well. The book “Fruit as Medicine,” (Dai and Liu, 1986) reported that Luo Han Guo fruits are used as a remedy for heat stroke with thirst, acute and chronic throat inflammation, aphonia, chronic cough, constipation due to aging, and as a sugar substitute for diabetics. The Luo Han Guo, “chongji”, is reported to be a popular treatment for colds in China. Recent studies on Luo Han Guo included investigation of the antioxidant activity of mogrosides and their potential use as cancer prevention agents. It is generally understood that antioxidants may lead to significant reversal or suppression in the early stage of cancer development. Furthermore, Luo Han Guo and its sweetening component are often mentioned in relation to diabetes and obesity because it can be used as a substitute for caloric sugars that are normally consumed in the diet.
Mogrosides are non-caloric sweeteners that have a low glycemic index (approximately 20; while the index for sugar is 70). Luo Han Guo natural sweetener has the texture and taste of sugar, and it is a natural sweetener, not a supplement. There are no reported incidents of negative side effects of Luo Han Guo. The American Food and Drug Administration classifies Luo Han Guo as a generally recognized as safe product, thus there are no restrictions on consuming the fruit or its extracts.
In view of the benefits of Luo Han Guo, it is highly desirable to bring all the advantages of Luo Han Guo together to meet today's market demand for a natural, sugar-free sweetener. Most sugar-free syrup on the market today uses sugar alcohols and artificial sugar substitute to sweeten their products. Unfortunately, the taste of these sugar-free products is often not very pleasant. On the other hand, traditional syrups, e.g. maple or corn syrup, contain a high level of sugar that is not suitable for people who want to avoid high glycemic level and calorie count.